METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT A SINGLE USE MOLD IS ACCEPTABLE

Abstract

A method for determining whether or not a single use mold is acceptable, comprises providing a closed lens mold (1) comprising two lens mold halves, and having a first and a second optical lens molding surface forming a molding cavity (15) and defining a molding cavity thickness therebetween, providing at least one interferometer (3), each having at least one thickness measurement beam (31), providing a lens mold holder (2), positioning the lens mold (1) such that the thickness measurement beam (31) of the interferometer (3) impinges on the lens mold (1) for measurement of the distance between the two molding surfaces surrounding the molding cavity (15), measuring the thickness profile of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) of the lens mold (1), comparing the measured thickness profile with a predetermined thickness profile to determine whether or not the lens mold (1) is acceptable.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for determining whether or not a single use mold is acceptable comprising: providing a closed lens mold (1) comprising two lens mold halves, and having a first and a second optical lens molding surface forming a molding cavity (15) and defining a molding cavity thickness therebetween, providing at least one interferometer (3), each having at least one thickness measurement beam (31), providing a lens mold holder (2), positioning the lens mold (1) such that the thickness measurement beam (31) of the interferometer (3) impinges on the lens mold (1) for measurement of the distance between the two molding surfaces surrounding the molding cavity (15), measuring the thickness profile of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) of the lens mold (1), comparing the measured thickness profile with a predetermined thickness profile to determine whether or not the lens mold is acceptable.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of measuring the thickness profile is performed by measuring the thickness profile of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) on at least three positions arranged along at least one measurement circle (32) extending concentrically about an optical axis (11) of the lens mold (1).

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of measuring the thickness profile with the interferometer on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) of the lens mold (1), is performed with the thickness measurement beam (31) impinging on the lens mold (1) at an angle of from 40 to 70, particularly from 45 to 65, very particularly from 50 to 60 with respect to an optical axis (11) of the lens mold (1).

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of measuring the thickness profile with the interferometer on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) of the lens mold (1), is performed with the thickness measurement beam (31) impinging on the lens mold (1) at an angle of from 40 to 70, particularly from 45 to 65, very particularly from 50 to 60 with respect to an optical axis (11) of the lens mold (1).

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of providing a lens mold holder comprises providing a lens mold holder (2) configured to hold a lens mold (1) in a manner such that the lens mold is rotatable about an optical axis (11) of the lens mold (1) and the step of measuring the thickness profile is performed by rotating the lens mold (1) about the optical axis (11) of the lens mold for at least 60, particularly at least 120, very particularly at least 180, the thickness measurement beam (31) impinging on the lens mold (1) along the measurement circle (32) during rotation of the lens mold (1).

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of providing a lens mold holder comprises providing a lens mold holder (2) configured to hold a lens mold (1) in a manner such that the lens mold is rotatable about an optical axis (11) of the lens mold (1) and the step of measuring the thickness profile is performed by rotating the lens mold (1) about the optical axis (11) of the lens mold for at least 60, particularly at least 120, very particularly at least 180, the thickness measurement beam (31) impinging on the lens mold (1) along the measurement circle (32) during rotation of the lens mold (1).

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of measuring the thickness of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) is performed by impingement of the thickness measurement beam (31) onto the lens mold (1), the thickness measurement beam (31) impinging within a range of up to 5 relative to the normal to the tangential plane to the optical surface at the impact point of the thickness measurement beam (31).

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of measuring the thickness of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) is performed by impingement of the thickness measurement beam (31) onto the lens mold (1), the thickness measurement beam (31) impinging within a range of up to 5 relative to the normal to the tangential plane to the optical surface at the impact point of the thickness measurement beam (31).

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of providing a lens mold holder comprises providing a lens mold holder (2) configured to allow tilting of the lens mold (1) in a direction normal to the thickness measurement beam (31) of the interferometer (3) impinging on the lens mold (1), and wherein the step of positioning the lens mold (1) such that the thickness measurement beam of the interferometer impinges on the lens mold by tilting the lens mold (1).

25. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of providing at least one interferometer comprises providing a multi-channel interferometer (3) having at least three thickness measurement beams (31), and wherein the step of measuring the thickness profile of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) is performed with the at least three thickness measurement beams (31).

26. The method according to claim 16, wherein the thickness of the molding cavity (15) at the apex (16) of the molding surfaces is measured additionally to the measurement of the thickness profile.

27. The method according to claim 16, wherein the mold halves of the lens mold (1) comprise engagement portions (14) radially surrounding the molding surfaces and having radially engaging walls, and wherein the method further comprises a step of measuring a radial adjustment gap between the radially engaging walls of the engagement portions (14) by impingement of the thickness measurement beam (31) on the radially engaging walls.

28. The method according to claim 19, wherein the mold halves of the lens mold (1) comprise engagement portions (14) radially surrounding the molding surfaces and having radially engaging walls, and wherein the method further comprises a step of measuring a radial adjustment gap between the radially engaging walls of the engagement portions (14) by impingement of the thickness measurement beam (31) on the radially engaging walls.

29. The method according to claim 16, wherein uncured lens forming material is provided in the molding cavity (15) of the closed lens mold (1).

30. The method according to claim 16, wherein air is provided in the molding cavity (15) of the closed lens mold (1).

31. The method according to claim 16, wherein cured lens forming material is provided in the molding cavity (15) of the closed lens mold (1).

32. A device for determining whether or not a single use mold is acceptable comprising: a lens mold holder (2) for holding the closed lens mold (1) having two molding surfaces forming a molding cavity (15), at least one interferometer (3) configured to measure the distance between two optical molding surfaces forming a molding cavity (15) of the closed lens mold (1), an electronic evaluation unit (33) adapted for determining the distance between the two molding surfaces of the molding cavity (15) from the interference fringes generated by said interferometer (3), thereby determining a thickness profile of the molding cavity (15), the electronic evaluation unit (33) being further configured to compare the measured thickness profile with a predetermined thickness profile to determine whether or not the lens mold is acceptable.

33. The device according to claim 32, wherein the lens mold holder (2) is configured to rotate the lens mold (1) about an optical axis (11) of the lens mold (1).

34. The device according to claim 32, wherein the lens mold holder (2) is further configured to tilt the lens mold (1) about a tilting axis (21) arranged normal to the optical axis (11) of the lens mold (3).

35. The device according to claim 33, wherein the lens mold holder (2) is further configured to tilt the lens mold (1) about a tilting axis (21) arranged normal to the optical axis (11) of the lens mold (3).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a set-up for measuring a thickness profile of the molding cavity of the lens mold with a multi-channel fiber optic interferometer according to the invention.

[0065] FIG. 2a is a representation of a thickness profile determined by the method according to FIG. 1.

[0066] FIG. 2b is another representation of a thickness profile determined by the method according to FIG. 1.

[0067] FIG. 3 shows a method for measuring a thickness profile of the molding cavity of the lens mold with a single-channel interferometer.

[0068] FIG. 4a shows a method for measuring a thickness of the radial adjustment gap of the lens mold with a single-channel interferometer.

[0069] FIG. 4b shows a method for measuring a thickness of the planar adjustment gap of the lens mold with a single-channel interferometer.

[0070] FIG. 5 shows a set-up for measuring a thickness profile of the molding cavity of the lens mold with a single-channel interferometer with a rotatable and tiltable lens mold holder.

[0071] FIG. 6 shows a method for measuring a thickness profile of the molding cavity of the lens mold with a single-channel interferometer interferometer using a rotatable and tiltable lens mold holder.

[0072] FIG. 7 is a representation of a thickness profile determined by the method according to FIG. 3.

[0073] FIG. 8 shows a representation of a thickness profile of a defective lens mold determined by the method according to FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0074] Reference now will be made in detail to the embodiments of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are disclosed in or are obvious from the following detailed description. In particular, the terms male mold and male mold half may be used interchangeably. The terms female mold and female mold half may also be used interchangeably. Additionally the term sample refers to a mold sample. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention.

[0075] FIG. 1 shows a schematic set-up for measuring a thickness profile of the molding cavity 15 of the lens mold 1 with a three-channel fiber optic interferometer 3 having three optical fibers 33. The three thickness measurement beams 31 emanating from each of the three optical fibers 33 are directed to three different positions on the lens mold 1. The thickness measurement positions on the lens mold are preferably located on a measurement circle 32 which is concentric with the optical axis of the lens mold 1. The lens mold 1 is arranged on a lens mold holder 2 for precise positioning of the lens mold 1. The three channel interferometer 3 receives light reflected off the different boundaries of the lens mold which generate interference fringes. The interference fringes may be analyzed by fast Fourier transform, for example, for determination of the distance from the molding surface of the male mold to the molding surface of the female mold. At least three measurement positions allow for approximation of the thickness profile of the lens mold 1 based on the expected thickness profile of a molding cavity 15 (shown in FIG. 3) for a toric lens, for example. The measurement values may be correlated to a model of the expected thickness profile which corresponds to the expected geometry of the molding cavity. The higher the number of measurement positions, the better the approximation may be correlated to the thickness profile of the molding cavity 15.

[0076] FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b represent the values for three measurement points of the three thickness measurement beams (numerals 1, 2 and 3 in the representations FIGS. 2a, 2b) of the set-up shown in FIG. 1.

[0077] In the representation shown in FIG. 2a, the second measurement position is arranged at the maximum of the molding cavity thickness, in other words at a position where the ballast prism has the highest thickness on the measurement circle 32. The first and third measurement positions are located at equal distance on both sides of the second measurement position. Hence, the measured thickness values shown in FIG. 2a are symmetrical and allow an easy approximation of the thickness profile of the molding cavity.

[0078] A second representation of the measurement points is shown in FIG. 2b. In this representation, the lens mold is rotated by about 45, the second measurement position not coinciding any more with the maximum of the molding cavity thickness. The measurement values for the first and third positions are not symmetrically located around the measurement value for the second position. However, knowing the expected geometry of the molding cavity, the thickness profile may be approximated using these three values with precision acceptable for an inline thickness profile determination, for example.

[0079] FIG. 3 shows a measurement method for determining the thickness profile along a measurement circle by rotation 12 of the lens mold about its optical axis 11 with the use of a single channel interferometer 3. The thickness measurement beam 31 from the interferometer 3 impinges on the lens mold 1 at an angle 13 of 50 with respect to the optical axis 11 of the lens mold 1. Measuring the thickness profile is performed by rotating the lens mold 1 about the optical axis 11 of the lens mold 1. Due to the rotation 12 about the optical axis 11 of the lens mold 1, the thickness measurement beam 31 impinges on the lens mold 1 along the measurement circle during thickness measurement. In this embodiment, the thickness measurement beam 31 impinges onto the mold half in a direction normal to the tangential plane to the optical surface of the lens mold at the impact point of the thickness measurement beam 31.

[0080] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the measurement of adjustment gaps of engagement portions 14 of the lens mold 1, the engagement portion 14 of each mold half being radially surrounding the molding surfaces. To this purpose, thickness measurement beam 31 impinges on the engagement portion 14 and measures the distance between two engaging walls of corresponding engagement portions 14 of the lens mold halves forming the closed lens mold 1. In FIG. 4a, a radial adjustment gap profile is determined around the circumference of the lens mold 1, whereas in FIG. 4b, a thickness profile of the planar adjustment gap of the lens mold. The measurement of the radial adjustment gap is performed with the thickness measurement beam impinging onto the radial edge of the lens mold, particularly normal to the optical axis of the lens mold. The measurement of the planar adjustment gap occurs normal to the plane formed by the engagement portion between the flange of the upper mold half flange (female mold in the embodiment shown) and the lower mold half flange (male mold in the embodiment shown). In the embodiments shown, the adjustment gap is determined using a single-channel interferometer by rotation 12 of the lens mold 1 about its optical axis 11.

[0081] FIG. 5 shows another schematic set-up for performing the method according to the invention comprising a lens mold holder 2 rotatably hold a lens mold and being configured to rotate the lens mold 1 about the optical axis 11 of the lens mold 1, the rotational axis coinciding with the optical axis being arranged substantially normal to a tangential plane to the lens molding surfaces at the apex 16 of the molding surfaces. In this case, substantially normal allows for a deviation of up to 5 from the normal to the tangential plane to the lens molding surfaces at the apex 16 of the molding surfaces. Preferably, the optical axis is arranged normal to a tangential plane to the lens molding surfaces at the apex 16 of the molding surfaces.

[0082] A tilted position of the lens mold 1 is obtained by a lens mold holder 2 configured to tilt the lens mold 1 about a tilting axis 21 normal to the thickness measurement beam 31 of the interferometer 3 impinging on the lens mold 1. The tilting direction is shown by the arrow in FIG. 5. The tiltable lens mold holder 2 allows for flexibly positioning the lens mold 1 for the thickness measurements by the interferometer 3, in particular for a measurement of the apex-to-apex cavity thickness or the adjustment gap thickness of engagement portions 14 of the lens mold 1 as discussed hereinbefore. The device further comprises an actuator 34 being configured to rotate the lens mold 1 relative to its optical axis 11.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 6, once the lens mold is brought into position for a thickness profile measurement, the tiltable lens mold holder 2 is maintained in the tilted position and the lens mold 1 is rotated about its optical axis 11 for the measurement of the thickness profile along a measurement circle 32. During the measurement, the thickness measurement beam 31 impinges onto the lens mold 1 along the measurement circle 32. The rotation directions of the lens mold 1 and of the actuator 34 are shown by the arrows in FIG. 6.

[0084] A result of a thickness profile of an acceptable molding cavity is shown in FIG. 7. The thickness profile represented has high correlation with the expected thickness profile. This representation is provided by an electronic evaluation unit 33 adapted for determining from the interference fringes generated by the interferometer 3 the thickness profile of the molding cavity 15 from the distance between the two molding surfaces of the molding cavity 15. The electronic evaluation unit 33 may further be configured for comparing the measured thickness profile with a predetermined thickness profile to determine whether or not the lens mold 1 is acceptable. In particular, thickness profile may be correlated to a model of the expected thickness profile which corresponds to the expected geometry of the molding cavity 15. A threshold value for the correlation value of the measured thickness profile to the expected thickness profile may be used for the automated determination whether the lens mold 1 is acceptable or not.

[0085] Each dot in FIG. 7 represents a measurement value and the time scale is correlated to the rotation angle of the lens mold. The rotation starts at time 2 seconds (0 rotation) and a 360 rotation is accomplished at time 32 seconds. The higher the number of measurement points, the better the approximation of the thickness profile. In the development phase, it is advantageous to have a higher density of measurement points, whereas in an inline inspection, lower rate of measurement points may be acceptable. In the chart represented in FIG. 7, a rate of 5 measurement points per second was chosen.

[0086] FIG. 8 shows a thickness profile of a defective lens mold. Strains in the closed the lens mold occurring during assembly of the two lens mold halves are responsible for the inappropriate thickness profile having the shape of a saddle and the lens mold will have to be discarded. In the case shown in FIG. 8, the thickness profile cannot be correlated to a model of the expected thickness profile which corresponds to the expected geometry of the molding cavity and the electronic evaluation unit will therefore not accept the lens mold. In case a correlation value of the measured thickness profile to the expected thickness profile model is determined, the correlation value will be below the threshold value and the automated evaluation will determine that the lens mold 1 is not acceptable.

[0087] The invention has been described in detail, with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments, in order to enable the reader to practice the invention without undue experimentation. A person having ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that many of the previous components, compositions, and/or parameters may be varied or modified to a reasonable extent without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Furthermore, titles, headings, example materials or the like are provided to enhance the reader's comprehension of this document, and should not be read as limiting the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the invention is defined by the following claims, and reasonable extensions and equivalents thereof.